The families Aizoaceae and Molluginaceae (Caryophyllales) in Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

The families Aizoaceae and Molluginaceae are distributed in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. In Mexico, these families have been studied for Aguascalientes, Guerrero, Veracruz, the Bajío region, Mexico Valley, and Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley. This work aimed to develop morphological descriptions and dichotomous keys for the taxa of the families Aizoaceae and Molluginaceae present in the state of Sonora. The material collected in the state of Sonora and deposited in the University of Sonora herbarium and the Mexico National Herbarium was reviewed, and the identity of the specimens was corroborated using specialized bibliography. In addition, the specimens deposited in the Herbarium of the Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium, University of Arizona Herbarium, and Desert Botanical Garden were consulted online via Red de Herbarios del Noroeste de México. In Sonora, the family Aizoaceae is represented by three genera and five species, while the family Molluginaceae is represented by three genera and three species, mostly distributed in the Sonoran biogeographic province, in sandy soils. All the taxa of Aizoaceae present in the state are part of the flora of beaches and coastal dunes, and the three genera on the family Molluginaceae reported to the country are also found in Sonora.